


Dread Halls

by Naveri



Series: Angst One Shots [1]
Category: Purple Hyacinth - Ephemerys & Sophism (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst, Claustrophobia, Gen, Kieran is terrified of the darkness, Lauren is a beam of salvation, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Soft squishy Kiki, Terror, Vulnerable Kieran
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26854777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naveri/pseuds/Naveri
Summary: Lune has another argument. They were already on the verge of never speaking again. So, they decided. They'd share information, but they agreed they were better off working alone. Kieran ventures into hell and doesn't make his way back. He only had one person in his life that actually cared about him, even if it was out of hatred. But that was enough for him when it came down to life or death.
Series: Angst One Shots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959052
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	Dread Halls

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to challenge myself to 31 days of Angst Prompts. 31 One-Shots. 31 days of PAIN. However, I am already 5 days behind, 5 one-shots short. I'll do my best to meet this challenge.
> 
> This particular prompt is Afraid.

Every night was easy to deal with. If the right precautions were taken. If the situation was handled accordingly. Tonight was not one of them. Like a werewolf, he had to adjust to the cycle of the moon. He planned his job, his motives, and his way of life around the beauty of the night sky. But unlike a werewolf, he did not have worries of the full moon. He embraced it. His salvation, his bright night light that helped keep the demons at bay. However, it was a new moon. His least favorite time of the Lunar planet’s phase. The New Moon cloaked the city in blackness. With it, he too would be thrown into the darkness and the grip of a harrowing suffocation on his lungs soon becoming too tight to bear. Even with street lamps, this was not always a situation readily available. All things considered. He always had to plan for the worst. But nothing like this. Nothing like right now. Hell, he’d imagine even the moon rays could not penetrate this desolate, damp, and claustrophobic hell no matter the crevice. Now he would sit, knees to his chest, silently rocking back and forth to place himself into a hypnotic trance.

_To get away from here. I need to get away. To get away._

_Just breathe._

A cough escaped his dry throat, eyes keeping still in his lap to attempt and remove his mind from the situation. How exactly he got so far into this mess was beyond him, but it was taking its toll. His head fell between his knees and he choked a sob. He couldn’t do this. 

He had walked for hours, trying to escape the labyrinth of catacombs beneath Ardhalis with no avail. The last of the oil within the lamp flickered away into the hell he was now trapped in. It was at that moment when the last flame of salvation blew its last breath that his feet stopped. Darkness crowded in, the pathway disintegrating away from his vision. The painful prickles of gooseflesh came first. Reaching his arms covered by two layers of clothing. Next came the silence which was followed by the pounding drum in his chest. His ears felt like they’d bleed from the sound. His palms came after, sweating profusely and the lamp slipping from his long fingers, crashing into the dreary dark water beneath his feet. The murky water sloshed around his ankles. Thank god he wore boots. 

Silence grew and his Adam's apple bobbed. He hadn’t moved yet, but paranoia seeped in and the claustrophobic panic began. Shakes reverberated through his normally skillful fingers, but now they were useless. They were numb. Kieran tightly squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on a different place. _The bridge._

_My apartment. The cave. The precinct. Lauren. Lauren. Lauren._

It was working, he could see her little smile and the red and gold firelights that made up his magnificent partner. A laugh, if he could get one from her. It didn’t last, a terrifying sound of the wind echoing over the crowded walls. Even if his arms were completely outstretched at his sides, it would still be too much for how small the walkways were. It barreled in, the water sloshing by the shakes of his legs. Kieran eyes now open, could not tell the difference if they were closed or not. 

_It was so dark._

Thoughts aimlessly fell away into the shadows but he reached for them, hands gripping each side of the stone walls and he began his walk. How would he know where to go? How would he even get out? How long before he died of thirst or worse, something else found him down here within the blackness and killed him? Kieran’s jaw clenched at every step, breathing so heavy he mistook it for the wind again.

_Wind. That’s it, you idiot. Think. Follow the wind. Where is it coming from!?_

The grime coated upon the slick stone was sticky on his fingers, Kieran's nose scrunching with the thought of what disgusting vile lay with him. Filth, he was in it. He was filth. _Stop pouring the bucket of pity over your stupid head and pull yourself together, fool!_ He focused his hearing, trying to avoid the pounding, painful thump in his chest as a panic attack tried to set in. _Left. It’s coming from the left._ Hands gripped for stone, trembling and skittering along its slimy surface. Finally, a gap in the wall, a new pathway. _Left. Yes. Yes!_ He could feel the wind. He continued his venture, feet sloshing up the dirty water and his journey echoing down the dread halls he did not want to accompany. His voice formed in his mind, crept to a whisper, and grunted to a full speech. 

“Come on, come on. Where are you. Please. I can feel the wind, where the fuck is the exit.” 

His next thoughts didn’t come, forehead slamming right into the concrete and his whole body shuddering with the pain. 

“Gah! FUCK!”

Kieran’s hands reached out, flattening against the wall he hit. _A dead end. That can’t be. No. No. No!_

He must have missed another pathway on the right, but how, his hands trailed the walls this entire time. His fist pounded into his doom, skin upon his knuckles scraped away and now burning from the open flesh. It was the moment solid back slid against the stupid wall and how he now slumped into a curl upon the damp ground, knees pulled tightly to his chest and the slow rhythm of his rocking lulling him into a calming trance. If he panicked, it would be over for him. He’d rip his hair out, he thrash. He’d _cry._ Time ticked on. He had no idea how long he’d be down in the catacombs, but he’d venture a guess it was close to morning. How long until he had the guts to stand and continue his walk through the terrifying blackness. A weight dropped in his stomach, heart thumping loudly in his ribs and his body full of sweat from the thought. _I can’t. I can’t do it. I’m--_

_I’m scared._

Something warm bloomed in his mind as he reached his most vulnerable state. He did the next best thing he could. What his mother would always do for him. _Mom._ He started to hum, focusing on the trembling voice escaping his parched throat. He hummed into the dark, turning off the unknown and otherwise horrifying sounds he heard ricocheting against his prison. 

_Don’t think about that. Don’t think about the past. Not there. Not that place. Focus. Think about mom. Her tender voice. So soothing. So nurturing._

So he did, for minutes, for an hour, however long until he could be found. _Only one person knew where I was going._ But they had another argument, they split up again, they went their opposite ways, only feeding each other information and working separately otherwise. And then it's back again, the pain from before and the soothing sounds of a lullaby drowning beneath the blood, and the voices whispered out with their heinous laughs, _You don't deserve her presence. You don’t deserve her forgiveness. Ever._

The brim of his lashes felt wet, the burning creeping along the edges of his eyes came rushing in. He started to cry. Choking up, and letting them fall. All the pent up tears that he held and locked away for years came crashing down and he sobbed, wailing in his prison. His body, on instinct rocked back and forth faster, harder, trying to console his own mind into calming down. Runny nose, cheeks painted with the pain and his shirt and sleeves covered in more filth of his own doing. Sobbing mess. Sobbing, pathetic mess. The fire scorching his heart led on, with it the tears following suite and continuing their assault. His breathing haggard until he could no longer inhale from his nostrils. Stuffed up; It assaulted his airways. 

_“KIERAN!”_

_“KIERAN!!”_

He stilled. Was he dreaming? What was that? He attempted to unclog his ears and his nose, as if all of those things would help him focus on reality more. 

_"God damn it, Kym. We need to find him.”_

_“We will. Let’s just not get lost too, right?”_

Now the only thing breaking his silence was his stuttering breath and mild squeaks of his nose trying to regain some control. He wiped his face with his dirty sleeves, again leaning into the darkness as if to hear better. _Lauren? Kym? Am I hearing things?_

“KIERAN!”

The voice was closer. It was much louder. The sloshing of footsteps treading through water echoed his way. 

“I’ll go this way. Meet back here. Don’t wander too far.” 

“Right. I’ll place the marker here on the wall.” 

_Lauren. LAUREN!_

It wasn’t his voice though, his throat hurt, it was too sore to speak, resulting in a sad attempt and a choke. He slammed his hand on the wall to create some sound, coughing in hopes she’d hear him. 

_I’m here. I’m here!_

The footsteps stopped, not too far down the way. He saw a glimpse of light and his eyes flew away from its salvation. It burned. How long had he really been down here? He felt like he’d go blind just seeing light. 

“Kieran, is that you?” Lauren’s tone was nervous, scared. 

He choked again, attempting his best shot.

“Lau--ren.” 

The feet kicked up the water, racing toward him and the light was now utterly magnificent and bright. It got closer, and closer, until it enveloped him whole and took him away into heaven. Wrapped him in the cloak of safety and tenderly caressing him to relief. 

“Oh my god! KIERAN! KYM I FOUND HIM” 

Lauren ran forward, collapsing in front of him to get a better look at him. 

“Oh thank god. Oh my god.” She was breathless, gold shimmers wide as saucers from what he could see. The flashlight wavered around, her hand reaching for it and steadily combing over his body. She saw the broken and fragile man curled up in the corner, scared of her touch. Then a whisper coated him, left him wanting more. 

“Are you okay?”

He managed a nod, and all his willpower melted at her worried gaze. More sobs escaped him and he cried, right there in front of her. His stiff body untangling and his arms, flinging forward to wrap around her waist. Head first, planted into her shoulder, nails clawing at her back in desperate comfort. Kym came running to them next while Lauren caressed his back and turned up toward her best friend.

“We need to get out of here. Now.”

The two women were able to holster his arms up on either side of their shoulders and they made their way out. He didn’t remember much on the way, or much there after. He did remember the moon, now a waxing crescent curled up and floating amongst the stars. Along the way, Kym waved them goodbye with a sparkle of worry in her eyes. He could at least remember her expression, laden with sorrow. Memories were hazy, as was his vision. Still clouded by the tears and adjustment from pitch black to orange street lamps and car headlights passing by. The fresh air, to its extent, was so refreshing. But that wasn’t what he really missed. It was Lauren’s scent, her hair tickling his cheeks and the subtle scent of her perfume blowing in the wind. 

“I was worried about you, you damn idiot.”

She kept talking, not bothering with the way his body would slump further against hers or how his head would lull upon her shoulder in comfort. 

“What if I hadn’t known you’d go down there, like the fool you are? You could have died down there. You didn’t even have a light! You looked like death. No more of this. I know what I said, but we can’t keep working separately. From now on, we do things together.” 

He nodded upon her soft shoulder, heaving a deep breath in and trying to mumble against her neck as he exhaled. 

“I--I’m sorry. F--or everything.” 

_Oh, Lauren. My salvation._

“Let’s get you home, Kieran.”

He could finally speak, what was left of his voice anyway. A chuckle for her at least and a dashing smile. 

“Yes, _mother.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I didn't really edit this. I also don't plan on editing any of these angst prompts I surge out. That's part of the fun! I hope you enjoyed anyway. Stay tuned for more.


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